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1980's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Game Worn & Signed Goggles from The Nate D Grate Collection. ...
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Sold on Aug 24, 2025 for:
$9,760.00
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Description
1980's Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Game Worn & Signed Goggles from The Nate D Grate Collection. Red Auerbach had the cigar. Michael Jordan flew in the air with his tongue out. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar was known for those unmistakable goggles.Twice during his legendary career, the king of the skyhook was forced to deal with eye injuries. On January 12, 1968, while a junior at UCLA, Lew Alcindor (as he was then known) suffered a scratched cornea while vying for rebound against Tom Henderson of the University of California. As a result, he would miss games against Stanford and Portland while recuperating in the Jules Stein Eye Clinic. Then, during a pre-season game in 1974, he got poked in the eye again and punched the basket support stanchion in anger, breaking his hand and causing him to miss the first sixteen games of the regular season.
After his return, Kareem started wearing a scuba-style mask to protect his eyes against future injury. Proving to be to clunky and cumbersome, a higher grade and more streamlined pair was sourced and produced. It was this style that he would continue wearing for the remainder of his NBA career. It was a career which would see him earn six NBA titles, six NBA MVP awards, and retire as the top scorer in NBA history.
Presented here is a pair of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar's definitive goggle style, arguably the most significant artifact of NBA game used gear not issued by a team itself. Worn by Kareem during the 1980's, when Showtime powered the Lakers to eight NBA Finals berths and five NBA titles, the goggles feature oversized lenses which lead into transparent/hinge-less frames stamped "France - Pat. Pend." Other attributes includes beige rubber nose pad (with remnants of tape reinforcement), elasticized black headband, and taped tips. Solid multi-game hardwood wear is evident and bears witness to the goggles' time in the trenches. Furthermore, the beige rubber above the left lens is signed "Abdul Jabbar" in vintage blue ballpoint. Legendary, to say the least. For the style match, see Getty Images 180895412. LOA from Heritage Auctions. Full LOA from Beckett Authentication Services.
Auction Info
2025 August 23 - 24 Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction #50079 (go to Auction Home page)
Auction Dates
August, 2025
23rd-24th
Saturday-Sunday
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 19
Lot Tracking Activity: N/A
Page Views: 234
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22% of the successful bid per lot.
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